Indian dance drama to raise funds for vision outreach

Krishna (Veena Mehta) plays the flute for all the gopikas, the girls of the village (from left, Bhooika Jakkaradi, Divya Srijay, Deeya Patel and Ajrya Bapat) in the Indian dance drama “Krishna” Sept. 22 at Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage.

Proceeds from the performance will benefit Vision Express, a charitable organization based in Asheville. This nonprofit performs cataract operations on underprivileged women in rural India with the mission to eradicate blindness from cataracts in this population.

Brought to Flat Rock Playhouse by Nrithyanjali School of Dance, “Krishna” is an epic tale of the Indian legend by the same name. The 90-minute program will take audiences on a journey through his life, filled with mischief and adventure, told through a combination of song, dance and drama.

The production features colorful sets, imaginative costumes, and more than 40 skilled performers from the Carolinas. The show is largely choreographed in the classical Indian dance form, called bharatanatyam.

Bharatanatyam is characterized by a combination of eye and neck movements, facial expressions, hand gestures and footwork.

“It is considered the epitome of Indian cultural expression and this is a rare and unique opportunity to see this dance form come to life,” said Sunitha Raj, director of the Nrithyanjali School of Dance.

Raj, the choreographer and director of “Krishna,” is a renowned bharatanatyam dancer and performer, and a popular movie star from South India. She aims to bring the world closer together through the understanding of and appreciation for the differences between various cultures and values.

Her passion for dance resulted in founding the Nrithyanjali School, based in Greenville, S.C., for the past 15 years. The school has kept this 2,000-year-old traditional Indian classical dance alive and vibrant by training students from North and South Carolina.

“Krishna” will also feature music by a celebrated six-member orchestra ensemble based in Atlanta.

The ensemble will include classical Indian male and female vocalists, a flutist, a violinist, and percussionists playing traditional Indian instruments such as the mridangam and manjiras. The mridangam is a classical Indian drum. Manjiras are a pair of small hand cymbals that date back to ancient times and help the performers stay on beat.

Tickets are $35. After the performance there will be a complimentary reception with traditional Indian hors d’oeuvres served outdoors, weather permitting.

For tickets, call 828-693-0731. To preview the show, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org/project/krishna.

Visit www.visionexpress.net for more information about Vision Express.

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